Watching Whales
What to expect and what to bring?
By: Arthur H. Kopelman, Ph.D.
What might you expect to see? What to bring?
2020 CRESLI/Viking Fleet whale watching
Our trips began July 18, 2020. Now sailing Saturdays and Wednesdays through September 05, 2020.
Please note that we explect whale watching to start in Phase 4 of the NYS Covid19 Recovery System. CRESLI and the Viking Fleet will be abiding by all required guidelines, limited capacity, etc.
Per the Viking Fleet (https://vikingfleet.com/health-safety/)"
- You must wear an acceptable face covering when not able to maintain a distance of 6ft from others on Viking Fleet property and in order to board vessels"
- Proper face coverings are required at all times (except when eating or drinking) on board our whale wTch vessels..
- Follow all CDC HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS and DO NOT TRAVEL IF YOU ARE SICK OR HAVE ANY COVID-19 SYMPTOMS. If you have been in contact with someone who is sick, please wait the 14 day period at home before coming into contact with others. Please Stay Home!
Purchase your tickets at https://vikingfleet.com/activities/whale-watching/
Whether our trips take place are dependent upon weather and sea conditions. The marine forecast for the waters around Montauk are available here.
Latest whale watching trip information and reports:
What might we see?
- Humpback whales
- Finback whales
- Minke whales
- North Atlantic Right whales
- Sei whales
- Sperm whales
- Short-beaked Common dolphins
- Bottlenose (in shore and offshore) dolphins
- Atlantic White Sided Dolphins
Turtles
Fish
- Ocean Sunfish
- Blue, Basking, Great White, Hammerhead, Thresher, and Shortfin Mako sharks
- Bluefin, Albacore, Yellowfin, Bigeye, Atlantic Bonito, False Albacore, and Skipjack Tuna
- Mahi Mahi
- White and Blue Marlin, Atlantic Sailfish, Swordfish
- Cory’s Shearwaters
- Scopolli's Shearwaters
- Great Shearwaters
- Sooty Shearwaters
- Manx Shearwaters
- Audubon’s Shearwaters
- Wilson’s Storm-Petrels
- Northern Fulmar
- Northern Gannet;
- Red-necked and Wilson's Phalaropes
- Pomarine and Parasitic Jaegers
- Greater Black-backed, Herring, and other Gulls.
What should you bring on the whale watch?
- You will be on a moving vessel, yes it will rock, but we won't go out if conditions don't warrant it (i.e., dense fog, strong winds, severe weather, and seas greater than 7 feet).
- Be sure to keep your camera away from sea spray, that is, keep it contained until we get near wildlife. Have a towel to wipe off your camera; have lens cloth; protect the front of your lens with a neutral density or UV filter
- You should be prepared for a variety of weather conditions.
- Have several layers of warm clothing (particularly early in the season) available; have foul weather gear available.
- It's always better to be a "MORE-ON" than a "LESS-ON", i.e., you can always take off layers of clothes if you are too warm, but if you are cold, it's hard to add layers that you don't have.
- Have several layers of warm clothing (particularly early in the season) available; have foul weather gear available.
- Shoes ... strong, sturdy, flat, non-skid, rubber-soled.
- A hat ... under cold conditions much body heat is lost through your head. During warm weather a hat is needed to protect you from the sun, rain, etc..
- Sun screen ... that blocks UVa and UVb. VERY IMPORTANT!
- Sun glasses ... VERY IMPORTANT!
- Sea-sick medication .... If you are prone to motion sickness, take medication well before coming on board
- Camera
- Binoculars
- The vessel has a full galley with food and drinks for purchase, but also feel free to bring your own.
CRESLI is a non-profit organization as defined in section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All Contributions are deductible to the fullest extent of the law. A copy of the last financial report filed with the Department of State may be obtained by writing to NYS Dept. of State, Office of Charities Registration, Albany, NY 12231.